Dog Wars
by Lizzie7
Summary: Even adopting a pet is hard for the Kings!
1. The Great Escape

Disclaimer: I do not own original character from smk however I am borrowing them for the purpose of this story. The story idea and additional characters are mine.  
  
  
  
DOG WARS  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 The Great Escape  
  
Lightning lit up the night sky revealing a gray panel Chevy van bumping along a narrow two-lane highway. Thunder awakened the tall, thin passenger, who rubbed his eyes and stretched.  
  
"Where are we?" the passenger asked with a yawn. Looking though the rain splattered windshield, he was barely able to make out the passing forest.  
  
"We're about 15 miles from the airport."  
  
"What are you going to do with your share of the money, Roy?" asked the passenger grinning.  
  
"I'm going to South Padre Island and lay on the beach, a drink in one hand and a babe in the other," replied Roy reaching out a beefy arm and hooking it around an imaginary babe.  
  
"Hey, that sounds like fun. I'm going with you.  
  
"No way, Jake!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I say so!" came the angry response.  
  
"Just because you're my big brother, you can't tell me what to do," shouted Jake crossing his arms over his chest while giving his head a confirming nod.  
  
"Ahh, just go check on the mutt," replied Roy, trying to change the subject.  
  
Jake gave him a frown as he got up and moved to the back of the van. He knelt down on one knee and opened the door of a dog kennel.  
  
"How ya doing in there, mutt?" he asked with a grin peering into the kennel.  
  
Just then, the van lurched throwing Jake and the dog carrier against the back door. The door opened spilling man and dog carrier into a muddy ditch. A white, furry dog leapt from the carrier and ran into the woods, trailing his leash. Several feet into the woods, the leash snagged on a low tree branch stopping the dog in its flight. The dog swung around, gave a firm tug and slipped from its collar.  
  
Jake stood up in the ditch shaking his hands, his body covered with mud. "What happened?" he asked Roy observing him running around the end of the van.  
  
"A dang deer ran out in front of me. Which way did that dumb dog go?" questioned Roy as he spied the open, empty kennel.  
  
"That way," Jake said pointing into the tangled undergrowth.  
  
"Come on then."  
  
Jake climbed up the slippery ditch and followed Roy into the dense woods muttering to himself. The rain continued to pelt the two brothers even in the thick undergrowth of the woods as they searched for the dog.  
  
The morning dawned clear and bright. A weary Roy trudged to the van, his clothing soaked, muddy, and torn. In his right hand he carried a blue collar and leash. Opening the van door he discovered Jake reclining in the passenger seat snoring loudly. Climbing into the driver's seat, Roy reached over and stabbed a fat finger into his sleeping brother's ribs.  
  
"Well, good morning sleeping beauty. Did you get all the beauty rest you needed?" quipped Roy as he started the van and backed it out of the ditch with a hard jerk of the wheel.  
  
"It's about time I heard from you," shouted the angry voice coming from the pay phone Roy was using. "You missed the flight, but I still want that dog!"  
  
  
  
"What do you mean you lost him?" shrieked the man on the other end of the phone. The room was dark making it was hard to see little more than a shadow of a man lying in bed. "Well, you had better find him and he better be alive or you'll be dead! "  
  
The man slammed down the phone. "Nit wit," he mumbled as he pulled up the covers and turned over to finish his night's sleep. 


	2. The Question

Chapter 2 The Question  
  
  
  
Jamie and Philip King sat in their tree house, heads together, talking in conspiratorial tones.  
  
"I've done everything you've suggested," said Jamie earnestly. "I've cut the coupons and put them in Mom's purse with the grocery list, I've put notes up around the place where she could find them and I've even talked to Uncle Jackie, twice."  
  
"Good," responded Philip. "Tonight ought to be a good time to bring it up. Lee's coming to dinner and that always puts Mom in a good mood. Besides, Lee's trying to get on our good side, so who knows, he may even help."  
  
"Boys," called a voice from the house, "come set the table."  
  
"O. K. Grandma."  
  
  
  
"Well, how was your first day of summer vacation guys?" asked Amanda as she placed a scoop of green beans on her plate and handed them to Dotty.  
  
"Good," said Philip.  
  
"Well, I think that Jamie is turning over a new leaf, at least as far as his room is concerned," commented Dotty as she placed some green beans on Philip's plate. "He must have hauled three large trash bags of junk out of his closet today. Why I hadn't even asked him to clean up his room. It must have taken him a good four hours. He even ran the vacuum."  
  
Philip eyed the green beans with a look of total disgust and at the same time elbowed his little brother.  
  
Amanda studied her younger son, a questioning look on her face. "This new leaf doesn't have anything to do with the extra coupons I found in my grocery list and the note I found on my alarm clock this morning?"  
  
"Jamie wants to get a dog," said Philip a smug look on his face.  
  
Jamie gave his brother an irate glance.  
  
"Oh no," Dotty butted in, "It's bad enough that the Ferguson's dog tramples the flowers and digs holes in the yard. We definitely don't need a dog at this house. Besides dogs are expensive. They need shots and check-ups every year. They need to be walked and cleaned up after."  
  
"Jamie's already talked to Uncle Jackie and he said he would give the dog its shots for whatever it costs him," volunteered Philip.  
  
"Is that all he said?" asked Amanda a knowing look on her face.  
  
"Well, he did say that you had to say it was O. K.," admitted Jamie looking a little sheepish.  
  
There was an awkward silence at the dinner table until Lee finally cleared his throat and asked, "What position are you playing on you baseball team this year, Philip?"  
  
A cheerful dinner conversation resumed. The talk centered on sports and other summer activities. There was no more discussion about dogs.  
  
"I'll make you a deal Mother," said Amanda. "If you take the boys to ball practice, Lee and I'll do the dishes." "Okay, it's a deal," replied Dotty getting up from the table. "Come on boys get your gloves and bats. You don't want to be late."  
  
"I knew it was only a matter of time until Jamie asked for a dog," sighed Amanda as she dried a dinner plate. "He really enjoyed watching the McHenry's dog over spring break. I just wonder if he is really ready for the responsibility."  
  
"Well, I do recall you telling me several times what a good job he had done. Besides it could be a good opportunity for him to practice being responsible. And you know it may not be such a bad thing to have a dog around. If you had had a dog maybe your house wouldn't have been broken into last week," responded Lee handing Amanda another plate to dry.  
  
"Are you and Jamie in cahoots? That's exactly what the note on my alarm said this morning."  
  
"No, I just think it would be good for him to have the opportunity to be responsible for something."  
  
"I don't know, after all, kids shouldn't get everything they want. It's tough making decisions like this. That's one of the toughest things about being a single parent, having to decide by yourself if you're spoiling them by giving in."  
  
"Well, if it helps any, I vote yes, but you may have a hard time convincing your mother."  
  
"At least now that you don't have to sneak around the back yard, you won't have to worry about being discovered by a barking dog." Amanda commented with a knowing smile. "You're backing up Jamie doesn't have anything to do with you possibly wanting a dog now does it?"  
  
"No. I just think kids and dogs go together."  
  
Amanda stepped across the kitchen to put away the casserole dish she'd finished drying. As she turned around, she glanced at Lee and a devilish grin crossed her face. She quietly began to twirl the damp dish towel into a tight spiral. She flicked it with a snap at Lee striking him on his back jeans pocket. He turned and gave her a fake angry look and then raised his hands from the dishwater, wiggling them in a treating way as they dripped soapy water.  
  
"You wouldn't dare," cried Amanda her eyes round with laughter.  
  
"Oh!" he laughed. With a cock of his head and a grin on his face, he took a big stride toward Amanda as she turned to run.  
  
He caught her on the second step, lacing his wet soapy fingers around her abdomen and pulling her into a tight embrace. Laughing she turned to face him gazing into his eyes. Their lips were millimeters apart when the phone rang.  
  
"Ignore it," said Lee pulling her even tighter.  
  
"I can't," she replied. "What if Mother had an accident or one of the boys got hurt."  
  
He sighed and released her. Hurriedly she picked up the phone.  
  
"Oh, hi Jackie," he heard her say. "No, the boys aren't here right now. They're at ball practice. Well, they have a game Saturday night, but they could come Sunday after church. One would be fine. They'll be ready. O.K. Bye."  
  
"That was Jackie," she related in response to Lee's questioning look as they both moved to the sink to finish the dishes. "He wants to take the boys tubing this Sunday. He's really been good about spending time with them since moving here this January. I thing he feels that Joe doesn't spend enough time with them, so he's trying to make it up for it."  
  
"Well, I thing he's right about that. He sounds like a decent guy."  
  
"Oh, he is. Mother absolutely adores him. She commented once that I married the wrong King brother." Amanda mused.  
  
Amanda noticed Lee's raised eyebrows and questioning look.  
  
" You don't need to worry. Jackie is pretty devoted to his wife and five kids and besides he's four inches shorter then me. We'd make a pretty funny looking couple," Amanda said playfully trying to break the tension.  
  
"He didn't mention the dog."  
  
"Oh, I think he'll let me bring up that subject."  
  
"Speaking of subjects, where were we," said Lee placing his arms around Amanda's tiny waist.  
  
"I think we were finishing the dishes," she uttered with a chuckle, giving him a gentle push, both hands on his chest. 


	3. A Normal Day at the Office

Chapter 3 A normal day at the office  
  
Lee hastened into the bullpen. He was running a little late and was in a rush getting to the Monday morning briefing. Opening the door he let out a quiet sigh of relief. All of the other agents were in their places, but Mr. Melrose wasn't in sight. He quickly and quietly slid into his seat beside Amanda. She was concentrating on the book in front of her and hadn't noticed his entrance. He picked up the corner of her book and scanned the title, Caring for Your Dog. She glanced around the room and then turned mouthing a special good morning to him.  
  
"Thinking about getting a dog?" he queried trying to make it sound to others in the room that this was the first he heard about the subject.  
  
"Well, Jamie asked if we might get a dog and so, you know, I'm trying to do a little research on the subject," she responded picking up on his cue.  
  
"Oh! I had a dog when I was a kid and I just loved him," interjected the new female agent sitting across from Amanda. "It was really sad when he got hit by that semi."  
  
"Oh! I'm sorry," replied Amanda.  
  
"It's okay" responded the young agent. "My Dad bought me a new Camero to help me forget."  
  
The agent didn't notice the shocked look on Amanda's face having already started another conversation with the handsome young agent setting next to her. Amanda returned to her book. She didn't get more than another paragraph read when Mr. Melrose entered followed by Francine with an armload of files.  
  
"Well, the KGB and the terrorist haven't taken a weekend off," reported Billy with a frown on his face. Turning to Francine he took a file folder from her pile, ignoring the groans from the room. "We have rumors that the KGB has placed a mole in the office of defense and that the mole has been leaking some information vital to our new star wars system. He handed the file to the third agent down from him. "This is your baby, Williams."  
  
Williams took the file and began to page though it with a look of concerned concentration.  
  
After passing out several more files, he turned to Lee and Amanda with the next file in his hand. "The president has decided to stay in D. C. for a special 4th of July celebration this year and the secret service needs our help in scoping out any possible threats against the president. I'm counting on you and you 'family' to handle this assignment," he said to Lee with a smile.  
  
"Piece of cake," countered Lee. "I've been looking forward to an easy local assignment every since that last one took me out of town for almost a month."  
  
"Good," responded Billy glad to have at least one team happy with their assignment.  
  
"Brogan, you've got the assignment on the Tanner case," Billy continued handing him a file.  
  
"That about wraps it up for this morning. Everyone else have ongoing assignments. Just a couple of more things, there's been a report that a vial containing bacteria was either stolen or misplaced at a pharmaceutical company just south of here. All our information is unconfirmed, but apparently the substance is pretty toxic so keep you ears open. Also it's been rumored the Russians have placed some trainee operative in the D. C. area probably just for the experience. See is any of you can come up with some names and what they could be up to. That's all for the day."  
  
Amanda picked up her book and walked out the door headed for her desk. Lee followed close behind; his had at her back.  
  
"How about a proper good morning greeting?" ask Lee as he shut the door to the Q-bureau.  
  
Almost as quickly as he had shut the door, it was opened again by Francine.  
  
"I just need to get some files from the vault," she explained. Then she noticing the book in Amanda's hand. "Thinking about getting a dog?"  
  
"Well, Jamie."  
  
"Personally, I don't care for dogs. They're so dependent and.. messy," said Francine a look of scorn on her face.  
  
"Well."  
  
"Let me get those files and get back to work," continued Francine, obviously not one for a long conversation that day. She entered the vault, quickly pulled the files and was out the door in record time leaving only a trace of her expensive perfume behind.  
  
"What's got into her today?" wondered Amanda out loud.  
  
"Seems to be pretty preoccupied with whatever she's working on," observed Lee staring at the closed door that Francine just exited. "I always knew Francine was a cat person."  
  
"Meow," said Amanda with a laugh.  
  
"So this dog thing is getting more serious?" he questioned taking a seat on the edge of Amanda desk.  
  
"We talked about it over the weekend quite a bit. When Jackie brought the boys back from tubing Sunday night, they really were wound up about it. Jackie was telling us all about things to look for when getting a dog. He convinced Mother that not all dogs dig up the yard or mess up the house. He suggested that we adopt one from the pound rather than getting a puppy. He thinks a dog, 2-3 years old, will be more settled and may not be as much trouble and he gave us some ideas on what kind of breeds might work the best for us." Amanda stopped, realizing that she had been rambling and that Lee probably wasn't interested in her dog talk. She was surprised to see him listening intently. "We're going to visit a pound this evening if you want to come along?"  
  
"Well, maybe," he said in a non-committal tone with a shrug of his shoulders.  
  
"We'd better get to work. Why don't you call this Ragsdale listed in our brief and see what the President's agenda is for the fourth and I' ll contact some of my family and see if they've heard anything." 


	4. The Adoption

Chapter 4 The Adoption  
  
"My name is Alice Connley," said the grandmotherly woman greeting the new arrivals at Animal Haven. "And you are?"  
  
"Amanda King, and these are my sons Philip and Jamie and my friend Lee Stetson."  
  
"Oh," responded Mrs. Connley, giving Lee a disapproving glance. "Nice to meet you. Are you looking to adopt a pet?"  
  
"Well, maybe," replied Amanda.  
  
Mrs. Connley gave the family a sharp look and then continued. "The first step in the process is for you to fill out this form. We want all our charges to have a successful adoption and so we must carefully evaluate all our adopting families and their situations."  
  
"Since we're not sure if we want to adopt a dog, could we skip filling out the forms and have a look at what you have available?" queried Amanda.  
  
"I'm afraid that won't be possible. Everyone must fill out the application. Then you may look at our adoptees. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes."  
  
Mrs. Connley led them to a small room with a table and six chairs.  
  
"I think you already struck out as far as Mrs. Connley's concerned," voiced Lee after she closed the door.  
  
"Shh.she might hear you," cautioned Amanda as she picked up a pencil from the table and began filling out the form. "They want three references!"  
  
"Oh brother," sighed Lee.  
  
"Are they going to turn us down?" asked an anxious Jamie.  
  
"I don't think so sweetheart. Don't worry, even if they do there are other animal shelters."  
  
Fifteen minutes later, on the dot, Mrs. Connley entered the room. After she scrutinized the form Amanda had filled out, Mrs. Connley indicated for the family to follow her.  
  
"Animal Haven is a private animal adoption facility," she began her well-practiced speech leading them down the hallway to a set of double doors. "Which means that all of our funding comes from generous donations of people concerned with the current pet crisis. Of course we do have a small adoption fee, should you be approved, of forty dollars. We do require that all our animals be spayed or neutered and have their annual shots. We can do this for you at a minimal charge or you could have it done by your own veterinarian. If you do choose to have it done outside our facility, we will need proof within 2 weeks of adoption."  
  
As Mrs. Connley opened the door they were greeted by the deafening sound of barking dogs. The barking continued for well over five minutes as the Jamie and Philip began to explore the inhabitance of the room. The long narrow room had rows of cages staked three high on each side. Only two or three of the cages were empty. Each filled cage had a white piece of paper with neat printing fastened to the door. A few cages also had orange tags.  
  
"At our facility alone, we take in about 1,200 dogs a year. That number is for dogs alone. It doesn't include cats or other animals," continued Mrs. Connley when the noise had quelled to an occasional bark. "We feel fortunate that we are able to adopt out close to half of our charges."  
  
"What happens to the dogs who don't get homes?" asked Philip who had stopped his meandering long enough to hear Mrs. Connley's statement.  
  
"All of our animals are thoroughly checked by a veterinarian before being placed in our adoption holding area," continued Mrs. Connley, ignoring Philip's question.  
  
"Were do you get your animals?" inquired Lee.  
  
" That's a good question. They come from a number of different sources. Some are brought in by their previous owners. They are moving, or have a new member of the family, or the number one reason they give is a sudden allergy to the pet. In such cases, we are able to get some kind of history on the animal. Sometimes a good soul will bring in a dog they've noticed running around the neighborhood. Perhaps they knew the poor creature's previous owner, but usually the history is pretty sketchy. We place the information we get on the animals on the white sheet of paper clipped to the cage. For instance," Mrs. Connley continued as she stepped up to a cage and surveyed the white tag. "This dog is a terrier mix, she is three years old and her name is Brownie. She came here because her owner was moving and couldn't keep her in her new apartment."  
  
"What are the orange tags for?" asked Amanda trying to listen to Mrs. Connley and keep an eye on Philip and Jamie at the same time.  
  
"Those are the dogs who people want to adopt. You see, we screen all our applicants before allowing them to take an animal. The process usually take about three days."  
  
"So this dog already has a home," Lee said pointing to a cage with a rather large German Shepherd.  
  
"Well, actually, that adoption was just turned down. You see, the people keep goats in their yard and we didn't feel like this dog would be a suitable match for that family," explained Mrs. Connley removing the orange tag.  
  
Philip appeared to have tired of looking at the dogs, but Jamie was intent on a cage in the middle row. It contained a furry white dog. "Look at this dog, Mom."  
  
As if on cue, the dog gave his most adorable look, his brown eye shone with excitement and long furry tail wiggled furiously. He placed a friendly paw on the cage door and gave a friendly little bark.  
  
"Oh, that dog is an excellent choice. He came to us 2 weeks ago and normally we don't keep a dog that long, but one of our volunteers took him home thinking her sister would want to adopt him. Unfortunately her sister had just adopted another dog, so he was returned to us. We decided to give him another week. The volunteer said he is well behaved, housebroken and is very obedient. He likes children too. The volunteer would have kept him, but she has three dogs already. He has been neutered, so you wouldn't have that expense. Would you like to take him out into yard to get to know him better?"  
  
"Can we?" an excited Jamie asked looking first at Mrs. Connely and then at his Mother.  
  
"Sure, why not," shrugged Amanda.  
  
Mrs. Connley opened the cage and the dog leapt out dancing around the room, frolicking with joy.  
  
"Here boy," called Jamie as he bent down to touch the blissful animal. The dog came to Jamie immediately. "He's so soft. Just like touching a bunch of cotton balls."  
  
"He was found wandering around in a wooded area just south of here. He was pretty dirty and matted, but our volunteers were able to give him a good bath and brushed out the tangles. The vet thinks he is between two and three years old and some kind of poodle mix. He's been a favorite of the staff since he got here. We're all hoping he gets an extra special home," Mrs. Connley informed them as she led them to the yard, tucking a stray piece of gray hair back into her bun as she walked.  
  
The others watched as a laughing Jamie played with the furry creature.  
  
"I think he looks kind of like a sissy dog," whispered Philip to Lee.  
  
"I heard that Philip," chastised Amanda. "This is your brother's choice. After all he's the one who asked for a dog."  
  
While they were watching Jamie and the dog caper, a gray panel van pulled up in front of the animal shelter. The two men inside looked tired and a little distraught.  
  
"That pooch had better be here," said Roy. "This is the last pound in the area."  
  
The brothers got out of the van and entered the building where a smiling young lady greeted them. " How may I help you?" she asked in a pleasant voice.  
  
"We're looking for our lost little doggie," replied Roy trying to sound sincere. "What kind of dog is he?" questioned the attendant.  
  
"Well, he's a white furry mutt about this big," Roy leaned over and put his hand to just below his knee.  
  
Their conversation was interrupted when Philip and Jamie entered the room followed by Amanda, Lee and Mrs. Connley.  
  
"What ya gonna name him?" Philip was asking Jamie.  
  
"I don't know yet."  
  
"You could always call him Foo-foo. After all he is pretty girly" teased Philip.  
  
"Philip, that's enough," broke in Amanda as they exited the building.  
  
"We have several dogs that fit that description," said the young girl returning to her interrupted conversation. " Mrs. Connley can show you the dogs we have. Mrs. Connley, these men are looking for their lost dog. They say he is a mixed breed, medium sized, white with long hair."  
  
"Very well, follow me," Mrs. Connley said giving the men a doubtful look.  
  
"Here he is Roy!" yelled an excited Jake.  
  
"Yeah, that's him all right," agreed Roy pointing to the dog that Jamie had played with earlier.  
  
The dog was cowering in the far corner of the cage visibly trembling as the three approached.  
  
"So that's your dog," reiterated Mrs. Connley. "What's his name?"  
  
The two stared at one another with puzzled looks on their faces.  
  
"Ahh.Ahh.Rover," replied Jake, with a look of triumph.  
  
"Oh really. Then why don't you try calling him," countered a smug Mrs. Connley.  
  
The two started talking at once. "Here Rover. Here boy. Come to Daddy. Please," they pleaded. The dog continued to tremble in the far corner of its cage.  
  
"Just as I thought," said Mrs. Connley indicating with a wave of her hand that it was time for the pair to leave.  
  
"Rover. Where'd you get that name," cried Roy angrily punching his brother in the abdomen after leaving the building.  
  
"Ain't Rover a common name for a pooch?" responded Jake a puzzled look on his face. "Besides, I didn't hear you coming up with something real fast."  
  
"Ugh, come on."  
  
"Are we going to break into the place tonight?"  
  
"Yeah, and have the whole neighborhood awakened by barking dogs. Good idea meathead."  
  
"What are we going to do then?"  
  
"Give me a minute to think."  
  
"That's been an awfully long minute," Jake whined after waiting in the hot van for 10 minutes.  
  
"Did you notice the orange tag on the cage?" said Roy rubbing his chin in thought. "Someone is going to be taking that dog home pretty soon, so all we have to do is wait around. When they bring the dog out, we follow them home and then snatch it when they take it for a walk or something."  
  
"Hey, that sounds like a good plan. How long do you think we'll have to wait?"  
  
"I don't know," responded an irritated Roy. "I left my crystal ball at home!"  
  
Two days later at one o'clock in the afternoon, Roy and Jake watched as Dotty, Philip and Jamie picked up an energetic white ball of fur from Animal Haven. It was hard to tell which was more excited, humans or dog.  
  
"Well, he certainly is a sweet looking little fellow," pronounced Dotty, as she watched the dog caper about at the end of his new leash. "He seems fairly friendly. Maybe he'll only dig little holes." She conceded.  
  
"Have you thought of a name yet? "Philip asked, leaning over to give their new pet a pat on his furry head.  
  
"I was thinking about calling him Marty after Marty Martinson, the drummer for the Screaming Chickens."  
  
"I'd have to admit, he kind of looks like him too," replied Dotty under her breath as the trio and mutt climbed into the car.  
  
Perhaps if Amanda or Lee were with them, they would have noticed the gray van following about a block behind. But as it was, they were all too excited to pay much attention. When they stopped at their home on Maplewood, the gray van continued on down the block.  
  
"Now that we know where he is, it will be easy to snatch him. So let's go get something to eat." Roy told his brother as they drove on down the street.  
  
Later that evening, Roy and Jake watched as Philip and Jamie emerged from the back yard with Marty in toe. They followed them to the park two blocks away. Philip spotted some of his friends playing basketball and quickly joined them. Jamie hiked down the path with Marty trotting happily along. When they came to a secluded part of the park, Jamie looked around and slipped the leash off Marty. The dog raced away with Jamie attempting in vain to keep up.  
  
"Now's our chance," Roy said to Jake as he headed for a grove of trees and undergrowth that ringed the area.  
  
Jamie called to Marty throwing him a stick. The dog speed after the thrown object, then brought it back to Jamie, but didn't drop it. Rather he ran around Jamie in a teasing manner trying to entice Jamie to run after him. Jamie ran laughing as Marty danced in a zigzag pattern in front of his new master. Suddenly, Marty dropped the stick, turned toward the hidden Roy and Jake and began barking furiously. Jake bolted out of the brush and tried to catch Marty by the collar but the dog had already bounded away.  
  
"Hey," yelled Jamie seeing Jake trying to grab Marty.  
  
Marty began to run away from Jake and Roy easily outdistancing them. He stopped several times to turn and bark at the trailing brothers. A large rottweiller, having just arrived with his elderly owners, joined in the fun. Roy and Jake gave up the chase and dashed into the undergrowth making it harder for the dogs to catch them. The animals retreated when they heard their owners calling for their return.  
  
"Who do you think those men were," the frail woman asked her partner.  
  
"It's hard to tell. Do you know who they are boy?"  
  
"Never seen them before," responded Jamie to the elderly man's question watching the pair as they continued to run.  
  
"What are going to do now Roy?" a much winded Jake asked when they had returned to the van.  
  
"I don't know," answered the sweating Roy gasping for air between words.  
  
"Why don't we just knock on the front door and ask for the dog back?"  
  
"Great suggestion dunderhead." 


	5. The Case of the Dirty Windows

Chapter 5 The Case of the Dirty Windows  
  
There was the usual morning chaos at the King household the next day. Lee had shown up fifteen minutes early to take Amanda to work and was now sitting at the kitchen table sipping coffee in awe of the commotion in which he hoped to someday be a part.  
  
"Philip," Amanda called from the bottom of the stairs, "you'd better get down here soon or you'll be late for swim practice."  
  
"Okay Mom. I'm almost ready."  
  
"Don't forget your towel," she reminded him.  
  
"Jamie," Amanda scolded, catching a glimpse her son giving Marty a piece of his toast through the plastic gate holding the dog in the laundry room, "don't feed that dog from the table."  
  
"But I'm not at the table," he remarked not taking his eyes off his new pet.  
  
"You know what I mean. Do you have your skateboard? Mr. Krammer will be here any time to take you and Billy to the skateboarding park. Remember you have a dentist appointment at 11:30 today, so don't stay at the park past 10:30 and be sure to let the dog out before you leave for the dentist. Did you clean up after him this morning?" "Yes, Mom." Jamie answered standing to go after hearing Mr. Krammer's beeping horn.  
  
Philip emerged from his the stairs and joined Lee at the table.  
  
"Morning, Lee," he said with a groggy voice as he reached for the cereal box Amanda had put on the table for him.  
  
Lee nodded a return greeting.  
  
Without warning, the air was filled with Crispy Bears cereal.  
  
"Philip," wailed Amanda.  
  
"I was only trying to open it," Philip pleaded.  
  
"Go get the broom and clean it up," Amanda sighed, spotting Lee hiding a smile.  
  
As he retrieved the broom from the laundry, Marty escaped into the kitchen and began to gobble up the scattered cereal.  
  
"I don't think I need to sweep and more," Philip informed his mother pointing to Marty who gave him a stern look in reply.  
  
"Good morning, Lee. I didn't know you were here already," gushed Dotty just then coming down the stair hairbrush in hand. "Now remind me Amanda of the schedule today. I have to take Philip and Paul Henderson to swim practice this morning, but Paul's mother is picking them up. Correct?"  
  
"Right so far," responded Amanda hurriedly trying to clear the breakfast dishes from the table. She picked up the coffeepot and waived it toward Lee who shook his head no.  
  
"Then, Jamie has an appointment with Dr. Anderson at 11:00."  
  
"No, Mother. The appointment with Dr. Anderson is at 11:30."  
  
"Oh! Good, because I have a hair appointment this morning at 9:00. Just a cut and styling, not a wash, so I'll be able to be home well before 11:00 to take him," continued Dotty more to herself than to Amanda. She reached for a coffee cup from the cabinet and held it out for Amanda to pour her some coffee.  
  
"Mother," said Amanda putting down the coffeepot and picking up an envelope lying on the island. "There are some college students coming by the morning. One of them is Mrs. Henderson's nephew. They weren't able to find jobs this summer so they are doing odd jobs around the neighborhood. I told her that they could wash the windows on the outside. The second story really needs it. The ladder is in the garage. I put the bucket, window cleaner and rags on the front porch this morning and here is the envelope with their pay. They were supposed to be here 10 minutes ago, so if they come before you leave, please tell them where everything is and give them the money."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Lee are you ready to go?"  
  
Lee stood up saying goodbye to Dotty and Philip who returned his greeting.  
  
A few minutes after Lee and Amanda left for work, a gray van pulled up in front of the King house.  
  
"Now let me do the talking," Roy told Jake. "You just keep quiet. I'm going to tell them that the dog belongs to my dying sister's little girl. That ought to work."  
  
"I didn't know we had a sister," a puzzled Jake said.  
  
"We do for the time being."  
  
"What's her name?"  
  
"That's why you need to keep quiet," replied a discussed Roy.  
  
The pair got out of the van and approached the house. Just as Roy was about to ring the doorbell, the door flew open startling the parties on both sides.  
  
"Oh, I'm so glad you're finally here," began Dotty before Roy even had a chance to speak. "The ladder is in the garage and the rags and cleaners are right here in this bucket. Philip, grab the envelope on the island and bring it to me. I'm happy to see that Amanda has finally decided to hire the windows done. You know last year she fell off the ladder and sprained her ankle. It was quite painful for several days, but of course she would never let on how much it hurt. Please do a good job and don't leave streaks or dirt in the corner."  
  
She handed the envelope with the money to a perplexed looking Roy who had no choice but to take it.  
  
"Come on Philip. We don't want to be late and we still have to pick up Paul," Dotty said as she opened the car door. "Those boys look awfully old to be college students," she remarked to Philip when out of earshot of Roy and Jake.  
  
"Yeah, they look kind of dumb too," observed  
  
"What are we going to do now?" questioned Jake when the car was out of sight.  
  
"Wash the windows," Roy responded.  
  
"Why don't we just break in, grab the dog and run?"  
  
"Because stupid, they know what we look like. Come on let get this job done. Maybe I'll think of something else."  
  
"I thought we would barbecue tonight," Dotty said greeting Lee and Amanda as they stepped out of the corvette parked in the drive. "It's too hot to cook in the house, but just about right out here in the yard. I was going to fix those pork chops that Lee brought over Friday. You know the ones we were going to cook that night but you two got called out."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," replied Amanda in a tired voice.  
  
"Oh, and Jackie called to say he would stop by after picking up Stacy from day camp. He should be here any time."  
  
As if on cue, a small man dressed in tan cargo shorts and matching shirt rounded the corner of the house a large case in one hand and a strawberry blond little girl in the other.  
  
"Oh, Stacy!" exclaimed Dotty scooping up the little girl in her arms and smoothing her short, soft curls.  
  
The girl responded with a big smile and a tremendous hug.  
  
"Do you think that Stacy would like a chocolate chip cookie? I just baked some yesterday," Dotty asked Jackie as she patted Stacy on the back.  
  
"I'm sure she would, but why don't you asked her yourself?" Jackie answered. He dropped the case on the grass and began showing Dotty how to ask Stacy if she wanted a cookie in American Sign Language.  
  
Dotty put Stacy down to imitate Jackie. Stacy, of course, knew before she completely finished what Dotty was trying to ask, having watched her father. The little girl began to sign excitedly.  
  
"I guess that means 'yes'," laughed Dotty taking Stacy by the hand and leading her into the kitchen.  
  
"Hi, Jack King," Jackie said turning to Lee holding out his hand to shake, a friendly smile on his face.  
  
"Lee Stetson."  
  
The two shook hands and then Jackie turned to Philip. "Where's my newest client?"  
  
"He's in the house with Jamie. I'll go get him," Philip volunteered disappearing through the same door as Dotty and Stacy.  
  
"Thank you so much for coming over. How is every one at your house?" asked Amanda.  
  
"Still working on a few adjustments from the move, but overall doing fine. Say, we're going camping and rappelling the second weekend of July. Would the boys like to come?"  
  
"They probably will, but I need to check their schedules."  
  
"Hi, Uncle Jackie," called Jamie as he opened the kitchen door.  
  
Marty pushed past Jamie and Philip trying to make it out into the yard first. Spying Jackie, he began to bark loudly. Jackie bent down on one knee and held a fist out for the barking dog to sniff.  
  
"Come here little guy. You don't need to be afraid of me."  
  
Marty stopped barking and took a hesitant step toward Jackie. Jackie urged him closer. The dog slowly came to him, allowing Jackie to touch him at last. Jackie began to pet the furry creature and talk to him in soothing tones.  
  
"Have you named him yet?"  
  
"Jamie named him Marty," answered Philip quickly before Jamie would respond.  
  
"After Marty Martinson the drummer for the Screaming Chickens," added Jamie.  
  
"Well, he kind of looks like his name sake," Jackie said jokingly. "He certainly has an impressive coat. He has the kind of coat that won't shed much, but he'll need daily brushing to keep it from getting matted. Marty is obviously not a purebred. What did the people at the pound think he was?"  
  
"They thought he was some kind of poodle mix," Jamie responded.  
  
"Which pound did you get him from?"  
  
"Animal Haven."  
  
"Oh," said Jackie a hint of amusement in his gray eyes.  
  
"Why, is that a bad place?" asked a concerned Amanda.  
  
"No, they're just seem a little overprotective. But a good place compared to most. We tried to adopt a dog from them when we first moved here in January, but we didn't have the proper reference. They wouldn't even let us take a dog home when I told them I was a vet and worked for the zoo. I think it was almost easier to get approved to be foster parents," he said with a laugh. "What else did they know about him?"  
  
Jamie related all that the pound had told them.  
  
"Sound's like they didn't know very much, but I'd agree with everything they said. I'd say he also has some cocker spaniel. He's must be standard poodle too. Let's have a closer look," continued Jackie keeping his eyes on the dog's face. He took the animal's muzzle into his hands and gently pulled down the animal's eyelids. Then he lifted Marty's upper lip to inspect his teeth and gums. He looked into Marty's ears. With a practiced hand, he began to feel over Marty's chest, back and abdomen.  
  
"What's this?" he said holding up some of the abundant fur from Marty's abdomen to reveal a two-inch long scar. "Wonder how he got this? Guess we'll never know."  
  
"What is it?" asked Amanda.  
  
"A small scar on his abdomen. Not a typical place for a surgical scar. Looks like it's been stitched though. Maybe he cut himself somehow. Looks fairly recent. Not something to be too concerned about," Jackie related as he continued his examination.  
  
With a stethoscope, he listened to the dog's heart, lungs and abdomen. Showing Jamie how to hold Marty motionless, Jackie took the dog's temperature. Taking a needle, syringe, spray bottle and tourniquet from his pack, he applied the tourniquet to Marty's front leg and sprayed an area on his foreleg with water revealing a small vein. He adeptly inserted the needle into the vein and withdrew a blood sample.  
  
"Now you said he has had his vaccinations right?" Jackie looked at Jamie who nodded yes. "Did you collect that sample I asked for?"  
  
"Yeah, it's in on the kitchen table. I'll go get it," said Jamie as he turned to retrieve the specimen.  
  
"Bring Stacy out too."  
  
Jackie, still on one knee petting Marty turned to Amanda, "I think he'll make a good pet for the boys. If you have any concerns, call me anytime."  
  
"Thank you so much. Would you and Stacy like to stay for dinner?"  
  
"I can't tonight. I'm helping to coach Tasha's softball team and then there's a Boy Scout meeting."  
  
Jamie returned with the sample, a clear bag with Marty's stool inside. Stacy and Dotty came with him.  
  
"You kept this on the kitchen table?" Jackie asked with a grin.  
  
Jamie nodded yes.  
  
"Next time why don't you leave it outside, okay guy."  
  
"Okay," replied Jamie having noticed his mother and grandmother's horrified faces.  
  
"Do you have any questions or concerns before I leave?"  
  
"Yeah, Marty threw up this morning after he ate. Do you think he could be sick?"  
  
"Dogs will sometimes do that when they have a change in diet or any change for that matter," he shrugged. "If he starts to act sick, like he's not wanting to play, or he won't eat or it looks like he's in pain, just give me a call."  
  
Jackie turned to Stacy and signed something to her. She shook her head and then turned to Dotty and spoke in sign.  
  
"She's saying thank you for the cookie," he interpreted brushing the remains of the cookie from his daughter's face.  
  
"See you later. Good to meet you, Lee," he said retrieving his bag and standing to go.  
  
"Nice to meet you too,' Lee replied watching Jackie leave, Stacy skipping along beside him.  
  
During dinner that evening, Dotty related the story of the window washer. "I think they did a good job, but they really were a strange pair."  
  
"Well, you know how college students are now-a-days," was Amanda's reply, not really paying attention. "Lee, do you feel like a walk this evening?"  
  
"That would be nice," replied Lee.  
  
"I'll take Jamie's turn doing the dishes tonight," teased Philip picking up the paper plates and plastic silverware from the picnic table.  
  
"No you won't!" shouted Jamie.  
  
"Gosh, I didn't get to see you all day," observed Amanda after they had walked the first block in silence.  
  
"I was pretty busy following up on a few tips about the Fourth of July celebration."  
  
"Did you find out anything important?"  
  
"Not really, just a lot of rumors with dead ends. What happened in the staff meeting this morning."  
  
"We've picked up three of those new KGB agents that Mr. Melrose talked about Monday."  
  
"I'm sure we were meant to find them. There are probably others out there. Those are the agents we need to be worried about, but may never find."  
  
"That's exactly what Francine said. Oh, and that vial of bacterial is definitely missing. The vial needs to be kept warm or the bacteria will die. Mr. Melrose put a team on the case today. They said the pharmaceutical company had the bacteria so it could gather some of the toxins to use on some kind of plastic face surgery. Isn't that really strange?"  
  
Lee made no reply and the couple strolled silently hand in hand for two more blocks. Coming to a park bench, they sat down.  
  
"Jackie seem like a nice guy," Lee said, finally breaking the silence.  
  
"Most people like him. I've never seen him in a bad mood."  
  
"It's too bad about his little girl. Being deaf, I mean."  
  
"Oh, they knew Stacy was deaf before they adopted her."  
  
"She's adopted?"  
  
"Yes, all of his kids are adopted. I guess the King brothers each have their own way of saving the world."  
  
"So, is Marty working out okay?"  
  
"He seems to be. Mother is even growing kind of fond of him. He hasn't dug up any of her flowers. yet."  
  
"I think I'm kind of jealous. Marty gets to spend the night and I have to go home to my lonely apartment," teased Lee.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure we could find you a spare blanket, but you might be a little crowded in the laundry room. After all there's not much room in there."  
  
Lee chucked at the Amanda's jest pulling her closer.  
  
They continued to enjoy the cool evening breeze and each other's company for some time.  
  
"Oh my gosh, look at the time. We'd better get back," Amanda said rising from the bench to go.  
  
Amanda and Lee were surprised to return to an empty house. Empty, that is, except for Marty penned in the laundry room. There was a note from Dotty; 'Went to the drive-in the see the Raiders of the Lost Arc and some other movie I've never heard off. Will be back before midnight. You two have fun, but not too much fun. Love Dotty'  
  
"Your Mother dropping some more of her little hints?" commented Lee with a grin.  
  
"Say what you will, but at least we have about 3 hours alone." 


	6. Cut to the Chase

Chapter 6 Cut to the Chase  
  
Friday morning Amanda appeared in the Q-bureau looking tired and worried as well as being an hour late.  
  
"What's up?" question a concerned Lee "You've never been this late without calling."  
  
"Marty is really sick," she cried. "He threw up several times after you left last night and this morning he was having diarrhea all over the laundry room. I waited until Jackie came and got him before leaving for work. He said he'd run some test and maybe do an x-ray. He's not sure what's wrong. Jamie is just in tears."  
  
"Maybe you'd better go home."  
  
"There's nothing for me to do there. Jamie went with Jackie and I dropped Mother and Philip at the food pantry to do some volunteer work this morning. Besides, Jackie knows I'm at work. He said he'd call when he learn something."  
  
Amanda found it had to concentrate. Every time the phone rang she answered it on the first ring. She refused to leave her desk for lunch fearing that she would miss Jackie's call. At 11:30 her Mother called, having finished at the food pantry, but there was still no word. Finally, around two that afternoon the call came.  
  
"It's the strangest thing I've ever seen," Jackie informed her. "There seems to be a small vial, kind of like those used to draw blood, in his abdomen. I don't think he swallowed it. It appears to have been implanted. It didn't show up on x-ray. I had to do an ultrasound to find it. That's why it took us so long. I had to call around to find an ultrasound machine. Anyway he's going to need surgery to remove the vial. He's doing better now, but who knows when he'll start having problem's again."  
  
A look of enlightenment crossed Amanda's face. "Where are you now? Okay, just stay there. I'm coming to pick up Jamie and the dog. Please stay there!"  
  
"What's going on?" questioned Lee having heard only Amanda's side of the conversation.  
  
"I think we found the missing vial of bacteria!"  
  
"What??"  
  
"Jackie found a vial in Marty's abdomen. It's what making him sick. Lee, it could be the bacteria. I'm going to pick up Jamie and the dog. Please update Mr. Melrose and meet me at home," she said grabbing her purse and heading to the door.  
  
"Marty is really scared, Mom," sobbed Jamie from the back seat of the car holding a trembling Marty in his arms.  
  
"I think he's just afraid of the thunderstorm," soothed Amanda as a streak of lightening lit the darkened afternoon sky.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"Home."  
  
"But Marty needs surgery!"  
  
"Sweetheart, Marty will be okay. I just need to check out a few things before he has the surgery."  
  
"But, why?"  
  
"You'll just have to trust me," replied Amanda and then under her breath, "where have I heard that before?"  
  
Amanda gave a sigh of relief when she spotted Lee's car parked in front of her house. As she pulled into the drive, her Mother, Philip and Lee greeted her. It was beginning to sprinkle, the thunder growing louder. Jamie was attempting to get out of the car when a frightened Marty leapt past him and raced down the drive. He turned left speeding down the street, his leash trailing. A gray van parked across the street roared to life following the running dog.  
  
"Those guys looked familiar," Lee said, trying to place where he had seen them before.  
  
"Those are the people who came to clean the window," exclaimed Philip.  
  
"I think your right, Philip," Dotty agreed.  
  
"Really," added Jamie "they were the guys in the park who tried to catch Marty."  
  
"What!" exclaimed Lee and Amanda at the same time.  
  
"There were some guys in the park the first day we had Marty. They tried to catch him, but Marty was too quick and then a rotwieler came and they ran off."  
  
"Why didn't you tell someone?" Amanda asked.  
  
"I guess I just forgot. It didn't happen again, so I thought it wasn't important."  
  
Lee took off running toward his car and jumped in. With squealing tires, he turned the car around pursuing the gray van. "Mother I'm going to call the police. You get the boys into the car and back it out of the drive."  
  
Amanda placed a call to the agency, only to learn that Mr. Melrose and Francine were already on their way. She then returned to the car.  
  
"The car won't start, Amanda," agonized Dotty.  
  
"Come on," shouted Jamie heading down the drive. "I bet he going to the park."  
  
As the storm intensified, Marty entered the neighborhood park. Roy and Jake ditched their van, running through the field after him. Lee soon followed. Jake and Roy managed to corner Marty in a baseball dugout. Jake reached out and grabbed the leash when the frightened dog attempted to flee past him. Marty spun and tugged, but this time the collar wouldn't come off.  
  
"Ahh ha, I got you," exclaimed Jake only to be decked by Lee's hard left hook.  
  
Roy backed away with his hands up when saw the gun in Lee's hand. Lee retrieved Marty's leash from the stunned Jake. Looking around the park, Lee saw Billy and Francine coming towards him.  
  
"We were almost to Amanda's house when we saw you car leaving," Billy explained seeing the puzzled look on Lee's face. "Is this the animal?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"We'll take these two. You take the dog to headquarters," Billy instructed Lee as Francine handcuffed Jake and Roy together.  
  
"Guess we're caught," whined Jake as they were being placed in the agency car.  
  
"Ahh shut up," replied an irritated Roy.  
  
"I'm glad you're here," said Lee when he saw Amanda approaching in the rain. "Where is everyone else?"  
  
"Well, the boys are searching the other side of the park. Mother stayed home in case Marty came back."  
  
"Good, where's your car. We need to get this dog to headquarters ASAP."  
  
"We had to walk, Lee. My car won't start."  
  
"Great, you mean I have to take this soggy dog to the agency in my vet!"  
  
Amanda just shrugged.  
  
"Hi!"  
  
"Hi, yourself," Lee replied as Amanda opened the front door of her house.  
  
"You look tired. What took you so long? It must be almost eleven" inquired Amanda. "It was six when you called to say the Marty had come through the surgery okay."  
  
"Well, I had to take my car to get it cleaned."  
  
"A few soggy dog prints couldn't have been that big of a deal."  
  
"There was more than a few dog prints. Amanda, that dog vomited all the way to the agency."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said trying to hide her smile.  
  
"The boys at the lab said that it was definitely the missing bacteria. It's funny though, with all the planning that went into this scheme, there was one thing that they didn't count on."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Well, when the vial was examined all the bacteria was dead. It seems that a dog's body temperature is too high for that kind of bacteria."  
  
"The best laid plans."  
  
"Did you get your car started?"  
  
"The battery was dead. Mr. Henderson gave me a jump and I took it to the repair shop and they put in a new battery."  
  
"What did you tell Jackie?"  
  
"I told him that I had heard about the vial on the news."  
  
"And he believed you?"  
  
"No, but he said his grandmother had a saying, 'I don't do pockets.'"  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"It's his version of 'need to know.'"  
  
"Have they found out yet who was behind all this?"  
  
"The two goons trying to catch Marty are brothers, Roy and Jake Johnson. Jake didn't know anything except they were supposed to drop Marty off at the airport. We were able to check out the flight roster for the time they were supposed to arrive and the only flight that matches was a private jet. According to the flight plan, they were headed for Russia. Roy had a phone number. The number belonged to a guy named Vorachek. He's apparently skipped town. We're still checking on it. By the way, we were able to locate Marty's owners. They're coming to pick him up day after tomorrow."  
  
"Oh, Jamie will be crushed."  
  
"Maybe he'll be able to find another dog."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Would you like me to tell him?"  
  
"That's okay, I'll tell him and I'll let him know that you're sorry. Do you want to come in for a sandwich or cup of coffee?"  
  
"No it's getting late, I'd better get home."  
  
"Well, you know there's a vacancy in the laundry room tonight."  
  
Lee laughed. He gave Amanda a quick kiss before turning to leave.  
  
  
  
TAG  
  
A blue mini-van pulled to a stop in front of the King house. Philip and Jamie watched as Marty raced toward the van barking and dancing with joy. The doors opened and people began to emerge. First a mother then one.. two.. three very young girls and finally their father.  
  
" Floppy!" they squealed in delight.  
  
" Floppy," said Philip, shaking his head.  
  
The dog continued to dance and bark, occasionally pausing to give a girl a quick lick in the face.  
  
Philip approached the newcomers, but a sad looking Jamie stayed back. Amanda and Dotty, hearing the commotion came outside. Amanda slipped her arm around Jamie's shoulder and gave him a motherly hug.  
  
"Hi, I'm Sara Franklin, my husband Dave and our daughters Shana, Erica and Lisa, " said the little girl's mother pointing out her family and then extending her hand to Dotty and then Amanda.  
  
"I'm Amanda King and this is my Mother, Dotty, and sons Philip and Jamie."  
  
"I'm so grateful that you've taken such good care of Floppy. He's been gone for almost four weeks now. We had about given up hope of ever getting him back. The girls were just heart broken when he disappeared."  
  
Dave advanced toward his wife.  
  
"Thanks for taking care of our dog," said Dave in greeting. "I heard that the boys who were caring for him were young teenagers, so I grabbed a couple of these before I left work yesterday. I thought the boys would enjoy them."  
  
He handed Jamie four tickets to the upcoming Screaming Chickens concert.  
  
"Wow! Philip look at this," Jamie shouted running to his brother his face now all smiles.  
  
"Thank you so much, but you didn't have to do that," Amanda declared.  
  
"No, it's really no trouble. I'm working on the promotion for the Screaming Chickens appearance and I have a lot of these to give away."  
  
"Well, thank you Mr. Franklin. By the way, do you know what kind of dog Mar..I mean Floppy is," Amanda inquired.  
  
"His mother was a pure bred cocker, but his father was a fence jumper. The best guess is some kind of poodle mix."  
  
"He certainly is a sweet dog," added Dotty.  
  
"Sara, lets get the girls and Floppy gathered up, I a few thing to finish at work."  
  
"Again, thank you," said Sara starting to walk toward her daughters.  
  
Watching the family drive away Dotty commented, "They certainly seem like a nice family. Just think, that poor dog was going to be sent to Russia all by himself and he doesn't even speak the language." 


End file.
